Steam-expanding device



Jan. 8 1924.

L. ARNOLD STEAM EXPANDING DEVICE Filed March 8. 1923 l atented Jan. 8,192%.

ATENT FEEQE.

LEM ARNGLD, OF SAN ANGELO, TEXAS.

STEAM-EXPANDING DEVICE.

Application filed March 8, 1923. Serial No. 623,782.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it ltnown that 1, Lung ARNOLD, a citizen or the United States,residing at San Angelo, in the county of Tom Green and'State of Texas,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam-ExpandingDevices of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in steam expanders for smokestacks, such as the smoke stacks of railway locomotives.

The invention has for its object to im- 3rove the steam expanderdisclosed in'United States Patent #831,785, granted to C. A. Giln'iore,under date of Sieptember 25, 1906.

The device of this patent embodies an inverted cone arranged in thelower part of the stack, in alinenient with the exhaust steam nozzle.This inverted cone expands the steam passing around the same, th-ustending to fill the cross sectional area of the stack. it has been foundthat this device will not operate wholly satisfactorily, as the expandedsteam breaks at the upper large end of the inverted cone, moving rapidly inwardly, thus breaking the vacuum or suction in the stack. 7

I have discovered that this decided disadvantage mi be overcome by theimprovements which I have made. My improved device embodies an expandingelement, which tapers downwardly from its point of maximy ring upwardly.This upwardly tapering part is preferably slightly shorter than thelower tapering part, and also the taper in the upper part is preferablynot so pronounced. The lower downwardly tapering part serves to expandthe steam, in a proper manner to completely till the stack at the pointof the maximum diameter of the device, while the upwardly tapering partproduces a stream-line effect, preventing the breaking of the steam, atthe point of maximum diameter of the device, and hence preserves thevacuum or suction in the stack. The upwardly tapering part, preventsviolent agitation of the steam, at the said point of maximum diameter,and the reduced end of this part is arranged at a point remote from thepoint of maximum diameter, and

there is no tendency to break the steam or vacuum at the point ofmaximum diameter.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, andin which like u diameter, and has apart extending, upwardly above themaximum diameter and numerals are employed to designate like partsthroughout the same, i V

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a device embodying my invention, showingthe same arranged in the stack of a railway locomotive, which is shownin section, and

Figure Q'is a horizontal section taken on line 22 of Figure 1.

in the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown apreferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 5 designates the stackof a railway locomotive, carried by the boiler (5, and arranged inconcentric relation to a steam exhaust nozzle 7.

My improved expanding device is designated as a whole by the numeral 8,and is shown as arranged concentrically within the stack 5, near itslower end. This expanding device embodies a lower downwardly taper-. ingexpanding part 9, and an upper upwardly tapering stream-line part 10,these parts being preferably formed integral. The large ends of thesetapering parts unite at a point 11, constituting the maximum diameter ofthe expanding device. The expanding device is preferably so arrangedwithin the stack 5 that the lower downwardly tapering expanding part 9projects d0wnwardly below the stack 5 for a slight dis tanoe.

Rigidly secured to the upper end .of the upper part 8 is a. rod12,'rigidlyheld within a strap 13, carried by a transverse supportingbar 1%, which is bolted within the stack 5, as shown at 15. The bar 14is arranged slightly to'one side of the center of the stack so that therod 12 is arranged ,concentrieally within the stack. I

It is obvious that the expanding device may be made in various sizes,depending upon the size or diameter of the particular stack inconnection with which it is used. For instance, I have found thatadvantageous results may be obtained by employing an expanding devicehaving a maximum diameter at the point 11 of 5% inches, when arranged ina stack having a diameter of 18 inches. The lower expanding part 9 mayhave a length of 18 inches while the upper expanding part 8 has a lengthof 10 inches and tapers to a diameter of 2 inches, at the upper endthereof. The lower expanding part 9 tapers to a sharp point. By havingthe lower expanding part 9 of greater length than the upper stream-linepart 8, a more gradual and complete expansion of the steam is eiiected,after leaving the exhaust nozzle, while the upper tapered stream-linepart prevents the break ing of the expanded steam, due to violentagitation.

It is obvious that the device may be made of cast iron, sheet metal, orany other suitable material. 7

When the device is installed in the stack of a railway locomotive, asindicated in Figure 1, the exhaust steam passes from the upper end ofthe nozzle 7 around the downwardly tapering expanding part 9, and thesteam is expanded thereby, the maximum expansion occurring at the point11, which is the maximum diameter of the expanding device. The crosssectional area of the stack therefore becomes filled with the expandedsteam, which is essential to a proper suction or vacuum within thestack. As the steam proceeds upwardly through the stack, beyond thepoint 11, the upwardly tapering streani line part 10 will prevent thebreaking of the expanded steam, due to violent agitation of the same.The upper end of the part 10 being remote from the point 11, anyagitation occurring at this point, will not materially eliect the vacuumat the point 11. It has been found that there is very little, if any,undue agitation of the steam at the upper end of the stream-line part10.

It is to be understood that the form or" my invention herewith shown anddescribed is to be takenas a preferred example of the same, and thatvarious changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may beresorted to, without departing from the spirit of my invention or thescope of the subjoined claims. 7

Having thus described my invention, l claim:

1. The combination with the smoke stack of a railway locomotive, 01" asteam nozzle arranged beneath the same, and a steam expanding deviceconcentrically arranged within the smoke stack, said device embodyanupper upwardly tapering stream-line part which is circular in horizontalsection, said parts being arranged in end to end relation, the expandingpart having a greater length than the streanrline part.

8. The combination with the smoke stack of a railway locomotive and asteam nozzle discharging into the lower end of the same, of a steamexpanding device arranged in concentric spaced relation within the lowerportion of the stack and being circular in horizontal cross section,said device having a point of maximum diameter and taperin downwardlyfrom said point in the form or a steam expanding part and taperingupwardly from said point in the form of a streanrline part.

a. The combination with the smoke stack of a railway locomotive and asteam nozzle discharging into the lower end of the same, of a steamexpanding device arranged concentrically within the lower portion of thestack, said device having a point of maximum diameter and taperingdownwardly from said point in the form of a steam expanding part andtapering upwardly from said point in the form of a stream-line part,said expanding part having a greater length and a higher pitch of taperthan the streamline part.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature,

LEM ARNOLD.

